richard5933

If the rest of the fridge is in good condition, get a new cooling unit and install it yourself. Even if you have to replace your control board and a few other parts (like the ignitor, gas valve, etc.) you're still going to be into far less expense than a new fridge, if you can even get one. I got my new cooling unit from here: https://rvcoolingunit.com It arrived in great condition, and cools better than the original ever did. They ship fast and I'd recommend them. The actual replacement didn't take more than a few hours. I did everything myself except for pulling the fridge and maneuvering it into place inside the trailer to work on it. I only have a 25-ft trailer, and there was still plenty of room inside to do the work. I laid a moving blanket on the floor to protect it, then laid the fridge face down on that. Watch all the install videos carefully, and follow the procedure. It's not that difficult. While you're in there, install some fans to get air moving across the coils to help it cool better. If you question the control board at all, get a replacement from Dinosaur boards and be done with the worry.

Perhaps this is where lawyers get involved and play CYA?? I'd suggest making sure that you have a good carbon monoxide monitor/detector/alarm. But I don't know your RV and only you can say for sure what's the best plan for you and how things are situated.

No SoftStart here, but I've been using the EasyStart from MicroAir for a year or so and find it works great. The ramp-up happens really quickly, so I'm thinking that it will not cause any problems for the motor at all. The whole intent is to prevent the momentary surge in current draw as the compressor starts up, not to extend the start up for minutes. The whole operation happens so fast you can't notice it, but the generator sure can.

Does it cool on 120v?

Seems like this could be done as an endorsement on a regular drivers license for those states that don't require a class B. I agree that this would be a minimum for those driving a vehicle with air brakes.

Absolutely I think that anyone driving a large vehicle and/or one with air brakes should have to at the very least pass a written test to demonstrate that they have enough knowledge to safely operate the vehicle. Anyone watching an uninformed driver ask about 'pumping the brakes' should the air system start failing would understand that some people sitting behind the wheel of many large motor homes lack the most basic information which could save their lives as well as the lives of many around them. Most states that require additional licensing for a larger motor home require a non-commercial Class B, but there are a few which actually require a CDL. I know because I lost a sale on my coach to a guy who lived in one of those states and didn't want the hassle of getting the CDL.

For me it wasn't the cost of the maintenance, it was that doing it myself requires a strong back (which I no longer have). Didn't want to be one of those guys who held onto a vintage vehicle long beyond when I could properly take care of it and watch it rot into the ground. Better it goes off to someone else that can enjoy it and take proper care of it.

Not sure if there is a particular place to mention this, so I'll just post it here... We have sold our vintage coach and will now be doing all our traveling in our nearly-vintage Airstream. Going to be quite the change going from a diesel pusher to a trailer, but the lower maintenance requirements will be a blessing. Sad to see it go, but looking forward to the upcoming trips we have planned this spring & summer.

What's your thinking on how increasing the tire size will help you feel more stable? Won't a larger size tire mean that you're actually riding higher, raising your center of gravity? Not sure how long you've had this coach, but it might simply be that you're going too fast for the road & curve. Or, it might be that you're not used to driving a vehicle with an air suspension. They will tend to lean more than a vehicle riding on steel springs under some road conditions. If it's not the speed or just getting used to it, when is the last time that the air suspension was inspected? Are the air bags filling to the proper pressure and at the correct right height? Before even considering the tire size change I'd suggest a call to Newmar. They should be able to confirm whether or not this coach can take a taller/wider tire without having any problems such as clearance issues or tire rubbing issues. You also have to be concerned about proper spacing on the rear dual tires, which Newmar should be able to answer for you.

Why is your insurance company handling this? Shouldn't the truck stop's insurance be on the hook here?

Have you checked it on a browser you don't normally use? Maybe it's just that your cache hasn't cleared yet. Here's what it looks like on my end.

I've been using Tire Minder products for a few years with good results. Price vs. reliability? Guess that depends on what you consider expensive, but you will have to pay to get quality equipment.

Have you checked all the fuses on your converter since you discovered the reversed wiring? What are the voltage readings at the battery bank AND at the converter both when it's plugged in and on shore power as well as after a while not plugged in? It would help to know if the converter is charging, and by how much. Also would be helpful to know if the batteries are actually accepting the charge. My guess is that something is keeping the batteries from accepting the charge, which could be a bad battery or a blown fuse on the battery side. Since you have 12v when plugged in I'm assuming that your converter is outputting enough DC power to make things work, and that your batteries either aren't getting that output or can't make use of it. Or, as mentioned above, you have a switch turned off somewhere.

This definitely sounds like the first thing I'd be checking as well. If the pump is still functioning otherwise, you can try: 1) Opening the pump and cleaning it - could just be a piece of sand or other crud/mineral buildup in there keeping the check valve from sealing, 2) Rebuilding the pump - there are kits available. But overall cost of just replacing it is sometimes not much more so it may not make sense. 3) Installing a check valve on the outlet line of the pump to prevent water from the system from backing up past the pump and putting any stress on the check valve inside the pump. On some pump models the check valve is somewhat lightweight, making them easy to damage if the shore water pressure is too high.

We live in Wisconsin, and around here the fuel in the winter season is already treated to be usable through the winter. If you are in a cold area, then you should try and fuel in that area to get the pre-treated/blended fuel. If you're unsure if the fuel is pre-treated or blended properly for the cold, ask before pumping. One time I bought a diesel step van from a southern location and had it delivered to me here in Wisconsin. The delivery took place in January when temps here were around 0F. The seller thought they were being helpful and topped off the tank for me. When they pulled it off the trailer I had about 32 gallons of gelled fuel to deal with, and it had to be towed to a shop so they could pull it inside and warm it up. Would have been better if they delivered it empty for filling up here, even if that meant using jerry cans. Interior heat will do nothing to help your fuel. If you have a tank of fuel which is not from a cold-weather prepped station, you should treat it with an anti-gel additive. Best if you can drive it a bit after that to circulate the additive throughout the fuel system. If you can't drive it right now, at least run your engine for a while to circulate the fuel and try and get the anti-gel chemicals distributed. When the engine is run the fuel pump will return fuel to the tank and slowly circulate it.